When Worlds Collide
by Epiphany
Summary: A new Big Bad attempts to complete an ancient prophecy. A stranger shows up in Sunnydale. She’s strong and fast and has a certain sixth sense about vampires. New slayer? No, an old one…with a very dangerous agenda which could mean disaster for Spi
1. Default Chapter

When Worlds Collide  
  
Synopsis: An ancient vampire threatens to complete a ceremony which will call forth the power of the First. A stranger shows up in Sunnydale. She's strong and fast and has a certain sixth sense about vampires. New slayer? No, an old one.with a very dangerous agenda that puts Spike in grave danger. A/U. Post Wrecked.  
  
A/N: I took a little liberty with the whole "Calling the next Slayer" thing, so just go with it and enjoy! Oh yes, of course there's a Spike/Buffy pairing - eventually.  
  
  
  
The tall brunette wandered idly down the streets of Sunnydale. It wasn't bad for a small town, but the public transportation was a joke. It was nothing like the hustling streets of London. Everything was busy there, bright and alive. A visitor could feel the pulse of the city. It was a living entity. Sunnydale held no such vibe. All she could feel were the churning forces pressing all around. No one but she could feel the dark undercurrent of powerful forces teeming beneath the city. Well, perhaps there was one other than herself. It was a familiar feeling, she thought with a sigh. One she hadn't felt in nearly ten years. She was glad Rupert had tracked her down. She frowned, checking the address written on the small slip of paper.  
  
"It should be right up here," she muttered to herself. She turned the corner and smiled. The Magic Box. Just as Rupert described. She frowned. He never mentioned the roof being quite so - purple. Sighing, she pushed the door open. She expected the interior to be tastelessly decorated in tweeds.  
  
The bell jangled merrily and she was pleased to see the shop was nearly deserted. It was nearly 9PM. A blonde man sat at a table in the corner, reading a book and nursing a teacup. A familiar tingle thrummed within her.  
  
"Oi, vampire." She called out, casually approaching the startled man.  
  
Spike snapped the book shut and rose to address the stranger. He slowly rose to his full height, his best intimidating glare in place. "Who wants to know?" he asked menacingly.  
  
The brunette slowly walked towards the table which Spike occupied. Sauntered would be a better word. She walked with the confidence of a woman who could take care of herself. She appeared to be in her early thirties, slim - attractive. Spike noted with dismay that she stood nearly eye to eye with him. Her green eyes bore into his, an unspoken challenge.  
  
"What I want to know is why William the Bloody is hanging around with humans instead of eating them." She said softly, her words leaving no room for doubt that the wrong answer would cost him dearly.  
  
Spike watched, slightly amused, slightly puzzled as she stopped in front of him. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't dust you right here." She purred in a clipped British accent.  
  
"Renny?" Anya's voice broke in. She had just walked through the curtain separating the rear office from the sales floor. She lifted the counter separator and approached the woman. "Oh, my god. It is you!"  
  
Renny whirled and regarded the blonde woman before her. She narrowed her eyes, trying to place the face. Spike took the opportunity to take a step back and get out of striking distance.  
  
"Anyanka?" she asked in disbelief. "Is that you?"  
  
Anya stepped forward and embraced the woman. Renny returned the hug.  
  
"It's Anya now, and yeah, it really is me. Well, sort of. I'm human now." She babbled. She took Renny's arm and pulled her into the center of the room. "How long has it been?"  
  
A faint smile tugged at Renny's lips. "About ten years, I reckon." She pulled open her jacket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes.  
  
Anya snorted. "So, how did things turn out with your boyfriend?"  
  
"He's dead." Renny said flatly. Anya's mouth formed a small "O".  
  
"Well, don't mean to interrupt the demon sorority reunion, but would somebody mind explaining just what the bloody hell is going on?" Spike asked, still standing near the table.  
  
"She's not a demon, so don't get any ideas into that bleached head of yours." Anya said, her eyes never leaving the woman. "And you don't have to kill him. He can't hurt humans anymore - and he's been helping us fight. You know, go team." Anya punched the air with a closed fist for emphasis.  
  
Renny lit her cigarette and casually regarded the vampire. "Can't hurt humans?" she repeated.  
  
"Courtesy of the United States Government. Put a chip in my head."  
  
"Damn colonials." She agreed, then frowned. "I thought you'd be taller." She commented.  
  
Spike opened his mouth to reply, but Anya cut him off. "Renny - I thought you died." She laid a hand on her friend's forearm. "I mean, you had to have - "  
  
Renny made a face. "Only for a minute." She took a drag on the cigarette and looked around. "Nice place you have here," she picked up a candle and sniffed it experimentally.  
  
Anya smiled, pleased. "Yeah, it's a really neat system. People come in and give me money for my things and I use that money to buy more things to sell. It's the cycle of life." She said seriously. She sat down at a nearby table and gestured for Renny to join her. Spike stayed where he was, content with watching the scene play out before him. "What happened?" she asked seriously. "You wished for Brian to become human again - I granted it. Why didn't you ride off into the sunset together?"  
  
"Because the silly sod got himself bitten again. He liked the power better than he liked me, so I killed him." Renny said without emotion. "Got meself killed in the process, too." She added after a moment.  
  
Anya put on a sympathetic face. "After all that," she whispered. "So, what happened after that?"  
  
Renny dropped her cigarette on the floor and ground it out. Anya pulled a face, but said nothing. Renny pulled out the chair next to Anya and sat down heavily. "Woke up in hospital and retired. The Council had no idea I was still alive. Pulled a little duck and dive and went to the coast. Rupert tracked me down. We wrote the final chapter ten years ago, turns out there's an epilogue." She mused.  
  
Anya made a face. "You know Giles?" she asked.  
  
Renny smiled. "He was my watcher." 


	2. Renny's Story

Chapter Two  
  
Anya's jaw dropped so fast, she was sure she had broken it. "Your wuh-" she swallowed, trying to get the word out. "Watcher?"  
  
Spike grinned broadly and approached the two women. "Thought I felt some power behind those eyes. You're a Slayer."  
  
"Got it in one," Renny said in a bored voice.  
  
Anya turned to Spike. "How did you know?"  
  
Spike flipped a chair around and straddled it as he sat. "Killed two of 'em, remember?" he looked quickly at the Slayer sitting next to him. "But I've given that up."  
  
"No worries, mate." Renny said lightly. "I expect I owe you some back story, and an explanation of my presence here."  
  
The door jangled and the trio turned as Buffy, Willow and Xander entered the Magic Box.  
  
"Company?" Buffy asked Anya as she approached.  
  
Renny stood and offered her hand. "Buffy Summers?" she inquired politely.  
  
"Yes," Buffy said slowly, shaking the woman's hand. "Did the council send you?" she asked carefully.  
  
Renny rolled her eyes. "Sort-of. Rupert sent me. It's a bit of a story." She paused and looked hard at Buffy.  
  
Buffy felt a wave of energy flow through her. Recognition dawned. "You're a Slayer." She said simply.  
  
Renny nodded and sat back down. Buffy wordlessly sat next to her. Xander and Willow exchanged glances and remained standing.  
  
"Faith died?" Xander asked.  
  
"No. She's still in jail." Renny looked up at the man who spoke. "My name is Renny Winston. I am Buffy's predecessor. Vampire Slayer 1985 to 1992."  
  
Buffy's eyes widened. "You died too?" she squeaked.  
  
Renny laughed lightly. "Yeah. Just once, though. Coming back twice seems to be pushing the envelope a bit." She smiled at Buffy, there was no malice behind her words. Willow looked uncomfortable.  
  
"Giles sent you here?" Buffy asked. She looked around at the others. "Did he call?"  
  
"Rupert didn't want to alert the council. They thought I was dead and gone." She looked at the assembled group. "Long story short. When I was called, I was fifteen years old. I had no idea of the destiny that awaited me. I was Rupert's first Slayer."  
  
Buffy's jaw dropped. Anya reached over and closed Buffy's jaw with a finger. "That was my reaction, too." She said.  
  
"He never said - " Buffy choked. "I never knew."  
  
Renny nodded in understanding and reached for another cigarette. She placed it in her mouth and crossed her eyes in surprise when a flame was held out to her. She looked up into Spike's eyes as she lit her cigarette on the lighter held in his outstretched hand. Buffy watched the exchange in silence.  
  
"We spent seven years together. He taught me everything I knew, and the council was pleased with my progress. After thousands of years in existence, a demon dimension had opened up right in their very own backyard. The fact that I was local was an added bonus," she took a puff on her cigarette. Willow placed an ashtray on the table.  
  
"Cheers," Renny acknowledged the witch. "So, Rupert introduced himself to me."  
  
"Let me guess 'one girl in all the world', 'the chosen one', blah, bliddy, blah, blah?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I think he had his speech prepared on note cards." Renny winked conspiritually. "Anyway, I let him talk his talk and eventually, I listened to him. He trained me and I patrolled. I saw a lot of strange things those seven years - vampires, demons, trolls, hell minions. Even a master vampire." She trailed off.  
  
"Those guys suck." Buffy agreed. "That's how I died the first time."  
  
"Me, too. Big guy named Mordrid."  
  
"Is that the guy who turned Brian?" Anya asked helpfully. The others turned to her with questioning looks.  
  
"Yeah," Renny agreed. She turned her attention to Buffy. "He was my boyfriend for several years. I managed to keep my Slayer life a secret from him, and he was busy with university, so it wasn't all that hard, at first." She took another drag of her cigarette. "He started to notice that I disappeared at odd times. I'd show up with bruises and cuts which disappeared rapidly." Renny stood and began to pace. "I knew I couldn't keep it from him forever. One night, he followed me out on patrol and saw what I did when he wasn't around. He confronted me the next night." Renny made a face. "I thought for sure he was going to break things off, but instead he asked if he could help. So, I let him."  
  
Buffy looked around at her friends, the story striking an eerily familiar chord.  
  
"At first, it was fun. Brian was a boxer at university, so he knew a thing or two about fighting. We'd patrol together nearly every night. I never told Rupert. Rule one of Slayerhood is that the identity remains secret. I never actually told Brian what I was, he figured it out. I didn't think Rupert would understand." She paused and took her seat again. "What I failed to realize was that Brian was getting off on the violence. Made him feel strong, powerful." Renny looked at Buffy. "Alive."  
  
Buffy nodded. She knew.  
  
"So one night, Brian went off by himself and got himself trapped and bitten. We went on a date the next night. I knew something was off, but I couldn't lay a finger on it." She laughed derisively. "Looking back, I think I knew, but I didn't want to believe it. Brian walked me up to the front door of my flat. I unlocked the door, walked in, turned and held out my hand for him to follow." Renny's eyes lost their focus as she recalled the night. "He didn't. Couldn't. He was a vampire now, and not one who had been invited into my home. I just looked at him, and I knew. I felt sick. Brian taunted me, told me what a lousy Slayer I was if I couldn't even keep the ones I loved safe. I closed the door and cried. I felt like my heart was torn out of my chest and a part of me had died."  
  
Buffy reached out and placed a reassuring hand on her predecessor's arm. "That's so rough." She said quietly.  
  
"I collected myself and went back to business as usual, but I wasn't about to give up on Brian. I did some research and eventually discovered a way I could bring him back."  
  
"And that's where I came in." Anya spoke up. "I was still a vengeance demon, of course. Renny called to D'Hoffryn and summoned me. She wished for Brian to become human again."  
  
Renny looked at Anya and smiled. "And you granted it. Gave me what I wanted, but your favor had a price. Brian was indeed human again, but he had been touched by darkness. He was a good man who got a taste of something powerful and dark. I took it away from him."  
  
Xander spoke up. "Let me guess. He wasn't too happy about being turned back and went to get bitten again."  
  
Renny nodded. "He tricked me. Mordrid wanted me dead in the worst way, I had been massacring his followers for years and thwarting every plan he made. Hard to build up an army when the Slayer keeps killing off your men."  
  
"Don't I know it," Spike muttered. Buffy cast him a glare.  
  
"One night, a few weeks after Anyanka granted my wish, Brian told me he wanted to go on patrol. Wanted to dust a few vamps to make them pay for what they did. He led me into a trap. There were thirty vamps waiting for me, including Mordrid. They circled us, and Brian and I stood back to back, stakes at the ready. I turned around and realized that Brian wasn't standing with me. He was standing next to Mordrid, demanding payment for upholding his half of the bargain. He delivered the Slayer, now he wanted back into the club."  
  
"Oh, my god." Buffy breathed.  
  
"Mordrid turned him, and set the others upon me. I fought and destroyed at least ten of them before I was struck down." Renny paused, trying to collect her composure. "Mordrid knew he couldn't kill me himself. So he set Brian after me. We fought for what seemed like hours, he matched every move I made. All those patrols together and he knew my every move. I knew I could kill him if I worked at it, but I hesitated. He was my lover, after all." She paused and looked around at the captivated Scoobies. "We wound up killing each other. He ran a sword through me at the exact same time I staked him.  
  
"The next thing I remember is waking up in hospital. Rupert and the council dispatched the nest. It seemed that particular night was known as The Reaping, something the council knew about. It foretold the death of the Slayer, but they had miscalculated the actual date. They thought it was to take place the following year. They got there just in time to see me die and to let Mordrid get away."  
  
"Wow," Willow said softly.  
  
"Rupert let the council believe that I died on the way to hospital. Technically, I did, but the medics brought be back. He never told them I survived. I expect that's because he felt guilty. He was a Watcher and a member of the Council, and he failed me. The big bad had left England, so he let me retire."  
  
The group remained silent for a few moments. Renny lit another cigarette.  
  
"I don't mean to sound so blunt, but - why did Giles send you here?" Willow asked carefully.  
  
Renny looked up at the witch and then at Buffy. "Before I retired, I told Rupert to contact me if he ever heard of Mordrid's return. Mordrid is one of the ancient vampires, directly descended from the First Vampire." She paused and looked at the group. "Mordrid is here."  
  
"Here? As in Sunnydale here?" Buffy asked. She turned to the others. "But why didn't he tell us?" she asked. "He could have called or written - " she trailed off.  
  
"He only discovered Mordrid's resurfacing a mere four days ago. The council is watching Rupert very closely. He didn't want to arouse their suspicion. If they found out that I was alive, after all these years - it wouldn't go over well. Rupert respected my wishes and let me return to a normal life. Three days ago, Rupert showed up at my flat and told me I was needed here. The Ceremony of the First is approaching." She looked around. Blank faces stared back at her.  
  
"The Ceremony of the First." She repeated, slowly this time. "You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you? It's in the Volumes of Daedelus. Standard reading."  
  
Buffy coughed. "Uh, I never really was research girl. Giles did all that."  
  
Renny made a face. "Must be lightening up in his old age. The first six months after being called, I was fed a steady diet of those bloody awful texts."  
  
"I can help out here, I think." Spike spoke up. "The Ceremony of the First is sort of the Vampiric version of the second coming. The First Vampire is called forth."  
  
"The first?" Buffy repeated. "As in - the granddaddy of all the vamps?"  
  
Renny nodded. "Two months from now. On the night of Purim - February the Twenty Sixth, Mordrid is going to resurrect the First Vampire." She stared grimly at Buffy.  
  
"Not if we have anything to say about it." Buffy promised.  
  
"One question though, love," Spike addressed Renny. "If you spoke to the Watcher, he would have told you who we were. You were ready to dust me not more than ten minutes ago."  
  
"We're always ready to dust you, Spike. We just don't tell you that." Xander shot.  
  
Renny smiled. "That was Rupert's idea. He thought it would be funny." She winked at the stunned vampire.  
  
"Well, then." Spike said softly "I'll have to remember to thank old Rupie for sending you my way."  
  
Buffy frowned internally. Was Spike flirting with Renny?  
  
"Right then, tea anyone?" Xander jumped in, catching the disgruntled look on Buffy's face.  
  
  
  
To be continued. 


End file.
